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Tag Archives: Marine Naturalists

We get this question a lot. Many folks are fascinated by the steps it takes to become a Pacific Whale Foundation certified Marine Naturalist. Our naturalists are college grads from all over the country – Minnesota, Kansas, California, Idaho, Florida, you name the state – we’ve most likely had a naturalist from there. The majority of us applied online and had numerous phone and Skype interviews, where we were able to show our enthusiasm and demonstrate our knowledge of marine conservation. Plenty of us had other experiences outside of college before we started here, including marine mammal research, internships, and other field work. Our hiring managers must have an incredibly difficult time making their selections from all the interested and skilled applicants – who doesn’t want to move to Maui?

What sets Pacific Whale Foundation eco-cruises apart from other standard ocean tours? If you already joined us on one of our many Eco-Adventures then you already know the answer. It’s our talented and passionate vessel staff.

Every Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventure cruise is led by a team of certified Marine Naturalists, all of whom hold graduate or undergraduate degrees in marine biology, ecology or related sciences. In addition, our staff must complete our rigorous certification program, which includes testing their knowledge about Hawaii’s marine environment, local geography and culture, presentation skills and Red Cross CPR, First Aid and Lifesaving Certifications. You can now meet our team of experts on our website.